In the winter of 1778, the Portuguese cargo ship Esperanca left the shores of Chennapatana or modern-day Chennai. Bound for Lisbon, it bore two priests from the interiors of Kerala, along with two students. This was their journey to Rome, to reclaim their church.
Varthamanappusthakam by Father Paremmakal Thommman Kathanar is much more than the just first travelogue in any Indian language. It is a sensational account of new lands, history, religious politics and the fight of a minority community for self-rule and identity. Written in Malayalam, the Varthamanappusthakam chronicles the stem-winding travels of Father Paremmakal Thommman Kathanar and his friend Kariattil Joseph Malpan. The priests, aged 36 and 42 respectively, were proficient in philosophy, theology, Sanskrit, Latin, Italian, Syriac, Portuguese and French, and had with them a petition to the Pope Pius VI. The petition was a plea from their community.
To Rome & Back
More than a century ago, the Christians of Kerala had taken the Coonan Cross Pledge rejecting papal dominance in the affairs of God and governance. Later, a faction had been led away by an envoy to join the papal fold. At that junction, the bishop of the original group expressed the desire for reunification. This was welcomed by the papal faction, yet rejected by the Jesuit hierarchy. Thus, the community decided that Paremmakal Thommman Kathanar and Kariattil Joseph Malpan should bear the plea of reunification to Rome.
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